Tuesday, February 25
- Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has been tipped to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Edinson Cavani
- Jurgen Klopp has opened up on Liverpool’s transfer plans with the Reds linked with RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner
- Mikel Arteta could be forced to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave Arsenal this summer if he does not sign a new contract
Kylian Mbappe or Jadon Sancho to Liverpool?
Jamie Carragher has hailed both Kylian Mbappe and Jadon Sancho, however, the Liverpool hero insists the pair would struggle to have the same impact as Mohamed Salah at Anfield.
“Since he has signed, we are talking the most goals and assists. Salah gets a lot of assists. Look who is at the top: Lionel Messi,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“The thing I love most about Mo Salah is that he is never injured. He is there week in, week out. 97 appearances out of 102.
“If I am a manager, I know I’ve got a player that is there week in, week out and delivers.
“There is talk at Liverpool, maybe it is a dream, of Mbappe coming along. He will leave Paris Saint-Germain at some stage, Liverpool at this moment at the best team in Europe, european champions, there is the link with Nike, but maybe that’s not realistic.
“There is a link with Sancho and maybe that is realistic for every team in the Premier League.
“Mbappe is world class. Maybe the man to take over from Ronaldo and Messi. Sancho looks like he is on the verge of becoming world class.
“But I think it would be so difficult in their first two and a half, three years at Liverpool, if they did sign, to get those numbers.
“That is why I think Liverpool fans almost have to be careful. Look at these numbers. Only Lionel Messi in European football is above this man.”
Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd chief Ed Woodward has been tipped to sign PSG star Edinson Cavani (Image: GETTY)
Timo Werner release clause boost
Liverpool could sign Timo Werner this summer for just £25m, reports in Germany claim. The RB Leipzig striker has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield in recent months.
Werner has talked up a move to Liverpool to team up with his countryman Jurgen Klopp.
And according to German outlet Sport1, Werner has a £25m (€30m) release clause in his Leipzig contract.
They say Liverpool would only have to pay £25m plus a guarantee of performance-related bonuses.
Sport1 add that Klopp is a fan of the German, who has netted 27 goals in all competitions for Leipzig.
Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd could sell Paul Pogba (Image: GETTY)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang talks stall
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could leave Arsenal this summer after talks with the club over a new contract stalled, transfer expert Nicolo Schira claims. The Gabon international has been sensational for the Gunners this time out.
Aubameyang has netted 17 Premier League goals and is joint top of the scoring charts.
The 30-year-old is out of contract next summer, with Arsenal hoping to tie down the former Borussia Dortmund star.
Aubameyang has been linked with a move to La Liga, with Barcelona and Real Madrid said to be eyeing the forward.
And Schira says talks over a new contract with Arsenal have stalled, adding Aubameyang could be sold in the summer.
He wrote on Twitter: “Negotiations for contract renewal between #Arsenal and #Aubameyang have stalled.
“The striker could leave #Gunners this summer. #Inter are following closely the situation and are ready to make an offer should #LautaroMartinez leave for #Barcelona. #transfers #AFC #FCB”
Transfer news LIVE: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could leave Arsenal (Image: GETTY)
Mohamed Salah to Real Madrid?
Mohamed Salah is using Liverpool as a “stepping stone” to join La Liga giants Real Madrid, says former Manchester United defender Gary Neville.
“It’s never easy to replace a player like that,” Neville said on Monday Night Football.
“I said 18 months ago I thought Mo Salah would leave Liverpool.
“I think it’s a little bit more simple in the sense of why Liverpool fans maybe don’t demonstrate that love for Salah, and it’s affinity and loyalty.
“I think there’s a feeling that he wants to go and play at Real Madrid, he’ll go to Barcelona, he’ll take the big move.
“That’s not a criticism of Mo Salah. I played with David Beckham, I played with Ruud van Nistelrooy, played with Cristiano Ronaldo – they wanted to aspire to win the Ballon d’Or, they wanted to be at Real Madrid, they wanted to be up in lights and play at the biggest clubs in the world.
“I think there’s a feeling, affinity, loyalty, ‘will he leave us?’, I think he could.
“I think he is ultimately using Liverpool potentially as a stepping stone for his career.
“He has aspirations to be [higher]. Let’s be honest, Real Madrid and Barcelona for a lot of players are the pinnacle.”
Edinson Cavani to Man Utd backed
Manchester United should sign Paris Saint-Germain star Edinson Cavani, Robin van Persie claims.
Cavani, who earns an astonishing £360,000 a week and will demand similar from his next club, is set to leave the Parc des Princes after seven trophy-laden seasons and 200 goals for PSG.
“Edinson Cavani. I would definitely go for Cavani; he’s very fit, he’s a proven goalscorer, a goal machine, he has proven it at Napoli, PSG and Uruguay,” RVP told SPORTbible.
“With him, if he starts, he will get you 25 goals a season. I’ve watched him play, I’ve played against him, he is like a proper goalscorer. He lives by scoring goals so I’d go for him.”
Transfer news LIVE: Sterling could join Man City (Image: GETTY)
Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool transfer plans
Jurgen Klopp has explained Liverpool will not be going “mad” in the summer transfer window while detailing why the club haven’t spent big on new additions recently.
“The CV (we are looking for), it’s not easy to fulfil,” he said.
“The age group of the team is good in the moment. In two or three years, maybe it’ll be different but for the moment, it’s good.
“It depends on what you want – is it a good age for selling? Probably not.
“But is it a good age for performing? Yes. So there’s a lot of things we have to think about. It’s an interesting period.
“Last summer, we did Sepp, Harvey and Adrian and people were not happy that we didn’t do any more than that because they think we need this and that here and there.
“We will see if we can make the right decisions again. It doesn’t depend on us alone, it’s the market, it’s the things around that will have an influence.
“It’s not that we are going mad about what is out there – we want the right player, we don’t just sign any.”
Transfer news LIVE: Werner could join Liverpool (Image: GETTY)
Arsenal could sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Mikel Arteta will have to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave Arsenal this summer if he does not sign a new contract, says former England manager Sam Allardyce.
“I’d be worried about losing him, really worried,” Allardyce said on talkSPORT.
“I don’t know what Arsenal are going to do. They can’t afford to let another one run out his contract with his value.
“He’s got 18 months left on his contract, so if he doesn’t sign a new deal this summer, they’ll have to sell him.
“That would be a great shame for Arsenal fans and Arsenal, because what he’s done in goal terms has been absolutely miraculous.
“He is quality. He’s one of the few strikers who loves to run in behind, he doesn’t want to come to feet, he wants balls played down the channel, he gets on the end of it and slots them away.”